Have you ever taken a group photo and wished you could swap out someone’s face for a better expression? Maybe someone blinked, looked away, or didn’t smile at the right moment. Well, with Google Photos Best Take, you can do just that. Google Photos, Pixel and Google Research teams have come together to explain how this feature helps improve your group photos.
Google’s Best Take is a camera feature on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro that lets you edit your group photos with ease. It uses Google’s Tensor G3 processor and an on-device face detection algorithm to analyze multiple group shots and isolate each person’s face. Then, it shows you a preview of different expressions for each person, and lets you choose the best one for your photo.
To use Best Take, you need to take a series of group photos with different facial expressions. Then, open Google Photos and select the group photo you want to edit. Tap Edit at the bottom and slide to the Tools menu to select Best Take option. You will see a small preview of each person’s face at the bottom. Tap on a face and scroll through the available expressions. Tap on the one you like to apply it to your photo. Repeat this for each person in the group. When you are done, tap Done to save your changes.
How Google came up with the idea of Best Take
In the article, Google also explained how their team came up with the idea of Best Take. This feature originated from a summit where Google Photos, Pixel, and Google Research teams tackled the challenge of capturing a perfect group photo. Moreover, they came across reports where users expressed difficulty in getting an ideal group shot. This led to the idea of an AI-powered tool that combines different facial expressions from multiple pictures into one image.
During early concept testing, the feature proved appealing because it aligned with a common behavior – people already take multiple photos during group shots. Hence, the task of capturing multiple shots needed for Best Take was already done. According to Lillian Chen, Photos Product Manager, the feature strikes a balance between authenticity and helpfulness, addressing a real pain point for users.
You can read the complete Google blog post here. Further, you can also check out our own take on this feature.
Aashish Singh
502 Posts
I developed a keen interest in technology ever since my school days. And writing about it keeps me closer to this fascinating world. When I’m not working you can catch me playing video games.
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